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H. E. SMITH.

MAIL EXCHANGING DEVICE.

APPLICATI AUG. 29

Patented Aug. 5, 1919.

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MAIL EXCHANGING DEVICE.

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H. E. SMITH.

MAIL EXCHANGING DEVICE. APPLICATION HLED Aue.29. me.

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APPLICATION FILED AUG-29,1916- ESE rrnn srairns PATENT onnion HERBERT E. SMITH, 0F SPOKANE, WASHIIFGTO'N.

MAIL-EXGHANGING DEVICE.

7 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT E. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Exchanging Devices, of which the following is a specification My invention relates to improvements in mail exchanging devices for the transferrence of mail from a moving train to a receiving and delivery station or from such station to a moving train.

One object of my invention is the provision of a device or appafatus of the foregoing character by means of which general mall matter, including parcel post matter, can be safely transferred from a moving train, traveling at high speed, to a station, or vice versa, without danger of injury to the operators, the contents of the mail bags or pouches, or to the exchanging apparatus itself. a

A further and most important object of my invention is the provision of an apparatus to effect the foregoing exchanges, which also includes in its organization means by which both of the said operations the transferrence from the train to the station and from the station to the. train-may be performed practically simultaneously; that is, a mail car equipped with my apparatus, in. passing a station will not only take up the mail from the station, but will also, at substantially thesame instant, serve to trans fer other mail to the station.

A still further object of my invention re sides in the provision of a station apparatus so constructed and operated that it will not be in danger of damage or destruction should a mail pouch suspended thereon and intended to be caught by a train passing in onedirection, be engaged by the apparatus upon a trainproceeding in the opposite direction,

Broadly, my invention comprises co-act ing car and station apparatus of substantially similar parts, construction, and operation, each apparatus consisting of pivoted swinging horizontal arms, devices carried by the arms for catching and for support- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented A g; 5 y 1919 Application filed August 29, 1916. Serial No. 11?,447.

ing themail pouches, buffer or cushioning mechanism for absorbing the shock resulting from the impact of the catching devices, and mechanism for controlling the movement of the said arms.

Further than this my invention consists of the novel features of construction, arrangement, and combination of parts to be hereinafter fully. described and claimed.

For thepurpose of convenience I will, throughout the specification, refer to the apparatus carried by the mail car as the car apparatus, and to the coacting corresponding station devices and mechanism as the station apparatus.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure l is a perspective View showing a mail car equipped with my apparatus in operative position as it would appear when about to pass (in the direction. indicated by the arrow) a station, with the equi )lIlGllt of the latter also in operative coactive position, and with a mail bag heldin readiness by each apparatus for and substantially at the instant of engagement by the catching devices.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view showing the shock absorbing and arm controlling mechanism which is preferably mounted beneath the car floor, the solid lines indicating the relative positions of the parts when the catching arms are swung out of operative position, and the dash lines indicating their relative positions when the said arms are in active or operative position.

Fig. 3 shows the shock absorbing and arm controlling mechanism and one of the catching arms, the view being a side elevation thereof.

Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged detail views of the station mail bag holding devices.

Fig. 6 is a side view in elevation of the station apparatus with the arms swung inwardly'.

Fig 7 shows the station apparatus as viewed. from the direction of the railroad track, the arms being in the position they tail views showing the hook members carried.

by the car apparatus arms for suspending the mail bags to be delivered to the station apparatus. 7

Fig. 12 is a detail in section through the jamb of the mailcar doorway, showing the pivoted upper'retaining means for the arm carrying standard:

I will first proceed to describe, in connection with the said drawings, the par-ts and functions of the car apparatus, like reference characters being used throughout the specification to indicate like parts where they occur in the several views.

The numeral 1 designates an upright arm carryingstand'ard whose-ends are provided with rectangular sockets 1 to fit over the squared ends 2 of the vertically disposed stub shafts 2 which are revolubly mounted in and extend entirely through (-Fig. 8) the base beam. of the car and are positioned within the doorway thereof. By reasonof the said sockets 1 the standard 1 is available for engaging the squared ends 2 of the shafts 2 so as to make the saidstand'ard interchangeable for use on either side of the doorway.

It will be observed in Figs. 2 and 3 that uponthe lower end of one of the said stub shafts 2 is mounted a segmental gear 3 which meshes with a similar segmental gear 1 mounted upon a shaft 5' which shaft extends (Fig; 9) vertically within the carjust inside the doorway and is provided with a suitable housing 6 and, at its upper end, a pivoted manually operated lever 7. Referring to Fig; 2' it will be seenthat the said segmental gear 4 is provided with anextended plate 8 having a mounting 9 upon which is secured a lever 10 connected by. a bar 11 witlr a lever 12 which latter'is mounted upon the lower end of the remaining stub shaft 2 disposed in the doorway of the car upon the opposite side thereof as shown and revolubly mounted in the. car base beam in the same manner as its corresponding stub shaft heretofore described.

The said gears and levers which connect the two stub shafts in the manner stated serve to rotate the said shafts simultaneously and eXactly the same amount but in opposite directions of rotation. Thus it will be apparent that there is provided a movementfor throwing the mail holding and catching arms 13, which are carried by the standard 1, outwardly into operative position and for returning them in the proper direction, whether the said standard is mounted upon one side of the doorway or the other. It is to be understood that in all cases the standard is to be mounted on the forward side of the doorway with respect to the, head ofthe train when the train is traveling in a forward direction.

Still referring to the mechanism disposed below the car floor, pivotally attached to the said lever 12 is the piston connecting rod. Ll

being quite rapid and compressing the air.

within the cylinder from which the air is allowed to leak slowly out through the leak or outlet valve 17 in the cylinder walla The said cylinder is also provided with a check valve 1*8 to allow air to enter the cylinder chamber whenthe apparatus is being 'set," so as to avoid too much drag or resistance during the operation. The valve 17 which will bleed the air, due to compression, is provided with a suitable adjusting means which may be regulated toicontrolthe escape of'air from the cylinder.

To the plate 8 heretofore mentioned.(Fig. 2) is attached one end of a spring 19, the other end of the spring being secured to the fixed stud or retaining member. 20". Immediately following: the impact due to a mail catching operation this spring will exert a pull or tensionto-aidthe piston toexhaust the air from the saidcylinder 15, andat the same time serve to maintain thecatcher arms 13 within-the recesslof' the doorway. When the said arms are extended outv from the car, the positionv of this spring willbesubstantially that shown in dash lines in- Fig. 2. The spring in the latter case will serve to maintain the said'armsiir an outward position, it being slightly drawn past. a. dead center; but as the tension. is considerable a slight movement of the arms will, through the standard 1 and the stub shaftv2', throw the spring into a working. position so that it will draw the arms within the doorway.

The working combination or co=actio1rbetweenthe said cylinder check and the spring should be here noted. As the arms catch a sack. at a high rate of speed they are naturally thrown inwardly toward the door opening by reason of the sudden impact. soonas the pressure within thecylinder balances the active pressure of impactv the arms will. be brought to a stop'and will then be subject to a slight re-coil motion, due to COll'lPl'GSSlOll and resistance of the air in the cylinder. To overcome this re-coil the spring 19' will act against the stress of the recoil to maintain the plunger against the air pressure in the cylinder, and the continued steadypull of the spring thereafter will serve to expel the air, allowing the arms to resume and retain position within the doorway recess.

As will be seen,'the arms 13two being mounted upon the standard 1extend at right angles from the standard which is revoluble by reason of the hereinbefore described stub shafts 2 and the pivoted upper support members 20, an enlarged sectional detail view of the latter membersbeing shown in Fig. 12. By having this upper member or ring pivotally mounted as shown, when the standard is raised for disengagement from the stub shafts it may be swung outwardly to allow the standard to drop down and disengage from the said upper support member.

The arms 13 are provided at their free ends with the bag engaging hooks 21 and extensions 22 upon which latter are mounted bag supporting and suspending devices 23.

These latter devices'together will support the mail bag to be delivered to the station apparatus, which will be hereinafter described.

The supporting devices 23 are shown in detail in Figs. 10 and 11, each consisting of a plate member 24 having forked ends 25 and a recess 26 for retaining a spring27. The mail sacks adapted for use in connection with these supporting devices are provided at either end thereof with flexible members or cords 28 extending therefrom and having attached to their free endsconically shaped buifer members 29.

Tn supporting the sacks or bags upon the holding or supporting devices 23 upon the extensions 22 of the arms 13, the cords are placed between the forked ends 25 and are retained by reason of the sprin s 27 from disengagement except on lateral impact, when the springs will open far enough to allow for the passage of the cords therethrough when the arms of the station apparatus have engaged the cords at either end of the bag;

The station supporting structure is preferably built up of tubular sections or1ne1nhere 30 and is provided with a platform 31 for the use of the operator, suitable steps 32 allowing of easy access thereto.

Upon the horizontal topmosttubular section of the said structure are fixedly mounted by means of set screws 33 the upstanding arms 34 which support a shaft 35 upon which is pivoted at 36 the upper pouch supporting arm 37 of the station apparatus. The longer portion of this arm carries a bag supporting and suspending means 38, a detailed view of which is shown in Figs 4; and 5. The opposite or shorter portion is provided with a weight 39 which serves to maintain the arm in anuupright position when not supporting abag or pouch. The under member of the bag supporting means consists of the spreader arms 40 having their free ends pivoted to the station structureat 41, the arms converging to meet at 42 and. having secured thereto the bag holding means 43 which is similar to the bag holding means 38. While the latter means serves to support the bag and suspend the same, the member 13 steadies and prevents any swinging movement of the bag and retains the flexible depending member or cord in taut vertical position ready to be grasped by the car catching devices.

When the said devices are relieved of the pouch it is evident that the upper support ing arm 37 by reason of the pivoted weighted arrangement described, will assume the position shown in Fig.6 (solid lines), and that the spreader arm device will drop down out of the way. a

The upright standard 44:, the equivalent of the standard 1 of the car apparatus, is shown as revolubly mounted in the fittings a5 and -46 (Fig. 7 and adapted to support the bag'catching arms 47 having the double bag engaging hooks 48, the said arms being arranged to swing in either direction, the controlling mechanism located below the station platform being designed to permit of such movement so that the catching hooks carried thereby-therebeing two such hooks for each armwill catch the mail bags from a train passing in either direction.

The said controlling mechanism (which serves substantially the same purpose as the corresponding mechanism in the car apparatus) consists of the compression cylinder 49 pivotally mounted uponthe depending member 50 w hich is secured to the station platform toward the rear thereof, said member 50 having attached thereto one end of the spring 51, the other end being secured to the lower arm of the U-shaped cylinder supporting device 52, which latter is fixedly mounted at one end upon the lower end of the said standard 44, the piston connecting rod 53 of the cylinder 49 being pivotally mounted on the bolt 54 which is positioned between the upper and lower arms of the said U-shaped device 52, all as clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 7 The said cylinder is provided with an adjustable leak) or outlet valve 55. From the foregoin description, it is evident that the pivoted method of mounting the said shock absorbing air compression cylinder will permit of the necessary movement thereof to compensate for the outward swingino movement of the U-shaped device 52, whidh movement takes place when the catching arms on the standard 44 are swung into their operative pouch catching position;

' while it is evident that the spring 51 will serve substantially the same purpose as the overcoming. the stress of the recoil ofthe cylinder piston, and returnmg: the arms to their inoperative position.

I: desire to here call; attentioir to an important feature or advantage resulting. from the particular arrangement of the catching arms and theiupper bag supporting arm of the station apparatus; referring especially t'oiFig-s'i: 6 and It Willbe noted that the upper end'56 of the upright standard 44 is somewhat concave-or hollowed out and that the tubular upper supporting arnr 37''Wl161'1 the latter is in its bag supporting position (dash lines Fig. 6)rests upon the said concave: end so that the latter supports the forn'ier' insubstantially horizontal position When a' pouch' is suspended thereon;

Now, assuming that the catcher arms on the standard 44" are in their catching position, at which time theextended catcher arms are set at an exact balance under-tension of the spring 51' ot the mechanism be loW' the platformgit will be" apparent that the Weight of afilled mail po'uch held by' the saidsupporting arm resting upon the said standard will serve" tosteadyand retain the said catcher arins in their outstanding active position and prevent movement thereof in either-"direction due to windpressureor" a nominal unintended blow, which movement would, were it not for this preventivathmw the said arms off their balance and allow thesaid spring to-pull the arms into their inactiveposition. It will thus be seenthat' theweight of the sack orpouch pulii'ng down o1r-the arm'37 steadies the bag catching arms-47, and at the same time' provi'd'es meansfor limiting the downward movement o'f thearm 37 as the same will be"supported"horizontally by the concave end ofthe standard 44, so that such=ar-rangem'ent 'ser 'ves'a double purpose.-

F'ro'm the foregoing description and explanation of the car and station' apparatus,-itis apparent that I have' pr'ovided a means for each apparatus which will support a'bag in such a manner that windpres sure against the susp'ended bag, Which is a serious consideration a's to the' cai apparatus, will not 'and cannot dislodge the samefrom the apparatus. On the'o'ther hand the bagis so supp'orte'dthat when it is engaged it will be instantly released without resistance and withoutthe imposition of injurious strain uponthe' bag: That by" supporting the bag in a substantially"vertical position by means of the vertical extending cords, lines, or chains pro'j ecting endwise fromthe'bag'g any movement imparted to thebag' Will be of a rotarywhirling character and will not involve'bodily swinging movement-thereof;

The-suspended bagwill be held accurately in such a manner as to insure registry of its lines or chains with the catchingapparatus r,si2,059

irrespective of the lateral sway of the movmg, car.

Also, whatever strcss-isimposed on the apparatus inthetransfer of a bag, held thereby, is imposed in such amanner that its tendency' is to swing. the car apparatus into the car.

Having described" my improvements, I clainr asnew and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States 1. Ina carapparatus of the character described, the combination of extendible arms, upright supporting means for the said arms, revoluble shafts for the said supporting means zrv gear'mounted' upon one of the said sliafts, a secondgearmeshing with the first mentioned gear, a pivotally mounted fluid compression cylinder, piston and connecting rod, a lever mounted upon the remaining shaft, a lever secured to the said second gear, and connectingmeans between the said levers.

2. In= a car apparatus'of' the character described, the'combination of eXtend-ible' arms, upright supporting means for the said arms, revoluble shafts for the said supporting 1neans,-a' pivotally mounted fluid compression cylinder, piston, and connecting rod, and mechanical means for operating: the said piston in the said cylinder and rotating the said revoluble'shafts simultaneously in opposite directionsof rotatioin- I 3i In a car apparatus of thecharacter described, the combination of extendible arms, upright supportingmeans for the said arms, revoluble' shafts for the said upright supporting means, a pivotally mountedfluid compression cylinder, piston, and connecting rod, mechanical connections for operating the said piston in the said cylinder during movement of the said arms and rotating the said revoluble shafts simultaneously in opposite directions of rotation; and a spring coiiperating w itlr the said in echani cal connections for compressing the fluid' within the said cylinder" and for controlling" the movement of the said arms.

4. In a car apparatus of the character described, the combination of extendible arms, an upright detachable socketed standard for supporting the said arms, revoluhle stub shafts mounted at either side of the car doorway and extending through the our floor for receiving. the said standard, and pivoted upper supporting means" for the said standard;

5; Ina car apparatus ofth'e character described, the com'binationof extendible arms, upright supporting" means for the arms, revoluble shafts for the said supporting means,- means' for rotating: the said shafts simultaneously, a gear mounted upon one of the said rev'oluble shafts, a second gear meshing therewith, and a shaft and hand lever for actuating the said second gear;

6.- Incombination with flexible mailbag suspending and retaining members, a supporting and releasing device therefor consisting of a bifurcated plate member having split or forked ends and a curvilinear socket-like recess; a curved spring member adapted to seat Within the said recess and having its ends mounted in said forked ends and so formed as to provide a restricted compressible passage from the said recess.

7. In a car apparatus of the character described, the combination of extendible arms, upright supporting means for the arms, revoluble shafts for said supporting means disposed at either side of the car door, means for rotating said revoluble shafts simultaneously in opposite directions of rotation, and a shock absorbing means connected to and adapted to cooperate with said rotating means.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of extendible arms, companion revoluble upright supporting means for the arms, means for rotating said up right supporting means simultaneously in opposite directions of rotation, a shock absorbing means connected to and adapted to cooperate With said. rotating means, and a spring also adapted to cooperate With said rotating means to retain said extendible arms in inoperative position.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination of extendible mail bag supporting arms, a rcvoluble upright standard for said arms, and fluid compression and spring controlled shock absorbing means adapted to cooperate With the movement of said arms, said means comprising a swinging cylinder supporting member fixedly mounted upon said standard,'a compression cylinder having one end pivotally supported by said supporting member, a piston and connecting rod for the cylinder the outer end of said rod being connected to a retaining means, and tensioning means adapted to exert tension. in opposition to the resistance of said cylinder and piston to balance the action thereof and to return and retain said bag supporting arms in non extended or inoperatlve position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HERBERT E. SMITH.

Gopies 01 this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents, Washington, I). O. 

